Community members to help interview Starkville principal hopefuls

April 21, 2009

STARKVILLE -- The process is under way to hire new principals for Starkville''s junior high and high school, and certain community members will soon have their chance to have a say in the process at an interview session April 27.

Both high school Principal Kathi Wilson and long-time junior high Principal Bob Fuller have submitted their resignations effective the end of the school year. Early in the month, Superintendent Judy Couey outlined the process the school district is following in finding their replacements.

The school district had received many applications by the first of April, and a panel of administrators interviewed these the week of April 13. This panel included the superintendent, assistant superintendents, principals and directors. The committee narrowed the field to not more than three candidates per position.

A stockholders'' interview session is set for Monday at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of Sudduth Elementary School. Stakeholders invited include representatives of the PTA Executive Council, Armstrong Middle School PTA, Starkville High School PTA, Parents for Public Schools, Starkville Foundation for Public Education, Mississippi State University''s College of Education and the Greater Starkville Development Partnership.

Couey wrote a letter to these stakeholders in early April asking for the groups to name a representative to attend the interview session. A request was made to represent diversity among this group of stakeholders.

Couey plans to make her recommendation for both positions to the school board at their 6 p.m. meeting May 7.